66 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



watching, and knowing his habits j'ou can nsuall}- keep bim out, 

 or when once in the the tree readily get at him, but we have 

 found prevention better and cheaper than cure. 



This insect, in its perfect state, slightly resembles a wasp ; the 

 body of the male is of a dark blue color. The female is so dif- 

 ferent as sometimes to be mistaken for a distinct species ; it is 

 easily known bj' its larger size and a broad orange colored belt 

 encircling the middle of the abdomen. It begins to la}' its eggs the 

 latter part of May and continues through August, and I have occa- 

 sionally seen it in September, depositing eggs under the rough 

 bark at or near the base of the tree, and on rare occasions in 

 crotches of the larger limbs. To prevent the depositing of the 

 eggs is our first object. We therefore annually apply a wash for 

 two purposes ; first, to smooth the bark, and second, to keep this 

 insect away. We use so much of this wash, and so often, that of 

 late years we are not very particular about the exact proportions 

 of the material used, but this is about the correct thing : for a 

 common water bucket full, two quarts of strong, soft soap, half 

 a pint of crude carbolic acid, and two ounces of Paris green, with 

 water and lime enough to make a thin paste that will adhere to 

 the tree ; if convenient we add a little clay, which assists in 

 making it stick ; this we appl}' with a swab or brush before the 

 first of June. The oppressive odor of the carbolic acid tends to 

 drive the insect away in search of some more attractive place of 

 deposit for its eggs ; the soap encourages the growth of a smooth, 

 healthy bark, and the Paris green makes handy feed for anything 

 in the way of borers, mice, rabbits, etc., that like peach bark as a 

 dail}- ration, while the lime and clay furnish a good body to the 

 mixture. This wash thoroughly applied at the base of the tree 

 and in the crotches of the main branches is almost a sure preven- 

 tive of the borer, yet it will pay to look at each tree in October, 

 and where traces of the borer are seen, such as gum exuding from 

 the bark or sawdust-like chips at the base of the tree, dig the 

 earth away a little from around the foot of the tree, scrape off the 

 gum and with a good sharp knife cut away the bark and with a 

 piece of wire to follow up any channel that it does not seem best 

 to cut open, you will soon have the satisfaction of finding the 

 cause of the trouble, which is usually a single borer from one-half 

 an inch to about an inch long, although I have found as many as 

 thirty-two in a single tree. 



